Malawi Gaming & Lotteries Authority (MAGLA)

What Malawi Gaming & Lotteries Authority (MAGLA) does

The Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority (MAGLA) is the national regulatory body for gaming, betting, and lottery activities in Malawi, established under the Gaming and Lotteries Act (No. 34 of 2022) through the merger of the Malawi Gaming Board and the National Lotteries Board. Headquartered in Blantyre with a service center in Lilongwe (opened October 2024) and a staff of 14, the Authority licenses and supervises approximately 23 operators across sports betting, casinos, wide-area-progressive gaming, national lotteries, and other lottery categories, while enforcing anti-money-laundering compliance, responsible gambling standards, and consumer protection measures.

MAGLA's core technology stack centres on a planned Electronic Monitoring System (EMS), awarded to IGLMS Limited under a five-year, MK1 billion contract for supply, installation, and maintenance, intended to provide real-time oversight of licensed gaming and betting activity. The Authority's commercial interface is a formal Request-for-Proposal licensing process administered through its website, dedicated licence applications email, head office in Blantyre, and a national toll-free helpline (4252) operational on TNM and Airtel networks. It also runs outreach and CSR programmes — including media training, community screenings, and a K40 million sponsorship of the Super League of Malawi's monthly awards — to promote responsible gambling.

Revenue is generated from operator licensing and application fees (e.g., K500,000 for a casino licence application, K2,000,000 for sports betting for local applicants, USD 1,500 for foreign applicants, and RFP document fees from MK 200,000 to MK 1 million), plus ongoing operational licence fees with one- to ten-year validity. As a government parastatal, MAGLA does not publish revenue and is funded primarily through these regulatory fees and government allocations rather than commercial sales.

Name

Malawi Gaming & Lotteries Authority (MAGLA)

Legal name

Malawi Gaming & Lotteries Authority

Website

https://magla.org.mw

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Malawi Gaming & Lotteries Authority (MAGLA) is the national regulator, established under the 2022 Gaming and Lotteries Act, that licenses and supervises gaming, betting, and lottery operators in Malawi from offices in Blantyre and Lilongwe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gaming Regulation

NAICS

Public Administration (92), Gambling Industries (7132)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAOAN

Gambling, Alcohol & Controlled Substances Regulators

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Regulatory Agencies & Licensing (Cross-sector)

SECONDARYMPAEAOAE

Responsible Gambling (RG) Compliance & Player Protection

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Gambling, Betting & Casinos/Regulatory, Compliance & Licensing Services for Gaming

SECONDARYMPAEAOAL

Dispute Resolution, Player Complaints & ADR/Ombudsman Services

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Gambling, Betting & Casinos/Regulatory, Compliance & Licensing Services for Gaming

Keywords

• Gaming regulation
• Lottery licensing
• Betting compliance
• Operator licensing
• Responsible gambling

Headquarters

HQ city

Blantyre

HQ country

Malawi

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Operator Licensing Fees: MAGLA generates revenue through licensing fees from gaming operators including casino licenses, sports betting licenses, gaming machine operator licenses, WAP gaming licenses, lottery licenses, and promotional competition licenses. Fees vary by license type (e.g., K500,000 for casino applications, K2,000,000 for sports betting applications).
2. Regulatory Compliance Fees: Revenue generated from regulatory compliance activities including application processing fees, RFP document fees (MK 200,000 to MK 1 million per document), and ongoing operational licensing fees ranging from one to ten years validity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MAGLA is a statutory regulatory body established under the Gaming and Lotteries Act (No. 34 of 2022) that regulates, licenses, and supervises gaming, betting, and lottery activities in Malawi. The Authority issues operator licenses across categories such as casino, sports betting, national lottery, WAP gaming, gaming machines, and promotional competitions, while monitoring compliance and enforcing responsible gambling standards.

Product overview

MAGLA is a national regulatory body, not a commercial product company. It provides government regulatory services including operator licensing, compliance monitoring, enforcement, responsible gambling initiatives, self-exclusion programs, and public information resources. The organization does not offer commercial products or software services in the traditional sense.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Casino Operator License
• Sports Betting Operator License
• National Lottery Operator License
• WAP Gaming Operator License
• Gaming Machine Operator License
• Promotional Competition License
• Self-Exclusion Programme
• Responsible Gambling Public Education

Quantifiable outcome

• Maternal mortality reduced from 634 to 225 per 100,000 live births over ten years through Mother's Fun Run initiative supported by MAGLA
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Super League of Malawi (SULOM)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026K40 million MoU to sponsor the 'Goal and Save of the Month Award' in the 2026 FDH Bank Premiership. Partnership aims to enhance competition and performance while using the football platform to promote responsible gambling messages to fans.
• Mzuzu Viphya Lions ClubminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Community outreach partnership providing free eyesight and diabetes screening services to over 500 community members in Rumphi District. Also donated items to St. Magdalena Centre for Children with Disabilities to support vulnerable groups.
• Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 March 2026Stakeholder engagement on Directive No. 1 of 2025 regarding gambling advertising restrictions. MACRA participated in discussions on enforcing advertising time restrictions (21:00-06:00) to protect children.
• South African Responsible Gaming FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Experts shared best practices and regional insights on promoting responsible gambling at a workshop in Salima. Supports MAGLA's capacity building for licensed operators on responsible gambling measures.
• Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023MAGLA collaborates with FIA on Money Laundering issues as part of compliance requirements under the Gaming and Lotteries Act. Gaming operators are subject to anti-money laundering screening and must comply with Financial Crimes Act requirements.
• Saint John of God Hospitaller ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2022Partnership for mental health and psychosocial support services. Individuals experiencing gambling-related problems can be referred for professional assessment and treatment. The organization provides counseling and rehabilitation services, with MAGLA covering treatment costs. This collaboration addresses gambling addiction from a health and wellbeing standpoint alongside regulatory measures.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/malawi-gaming-and-lotteries-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Malawi Gaming & Lotteries Authority (MAGLA)